


Metamorphosis

by AconiteoftheValley (TheLilyoftheValley)



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Alternate Universe - Eldritch Horror, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Demonic Possession, Eldritch, Eldritch Horror AU, Eldritch!Nefarious, Horror, M/M, Nefarious is possessed, Not too much plot, Possession, and Qwark knows how to handle the creature that takes over his partner's body, horror practice, mature - Freeform, practice in horror writing, robotic gore, warm-up piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:21:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29272422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLilyoftheValley/pseuds/AconiteoftheValley
Summary: MATURE. Ao3-exclusive story. Qwarkarious drabble. Elderich Horror AU. On some nights, Nefarious will finally fall to the beast consuming him.
Relationships: Captain Qwark/Dr. Nefarious
Kudos: 6





	Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. I read one Eldritch Horror AU fic for a ship that I haven't shipped in years, and then suddenly I want to write Eldritch horror with Qwarkarious smh…**   
>    
>  _**TRIGGER WARNINGS** _ **: eldritch monsters; body horror; dark and evil magic; possession; robotic gore; general gore; and other horror-related themes. If you are uncomfortable with reading such topics, please click away for your own safety.**   
>    
> 

Metamorphosis

He knows it will be a bad night the moment Nefarious stops talking.

Nefarious will grumble a reply, shout a reply, whisper a reply—but he will never stay completely silent. The scientist would never lock up his metal jaw and not say a word. There was never a moment where he truly fell silent, not unless he was far too deep in his thoughts… or unless he was starting to give in.

That had been the first warning flag.

Qwark has already taken the steps to preparing the protection wards. After so many years of fighting and being around Nefarious, he knows how to protect himself and others from the monster Nefarious will become. Several protection spells and artefacts were set up the moment Nefarious began staring silently at the empty wall in front of him and didn't respond to the question of whether or not he was okay.

The second red flag was the stillness.

Nefarious was animated. He moved with his words, letting his feelings flood his limbs and carry over to his actions. Fear would cause him to shrink in on himself; anger would push the robot to become bigger, straightening to full height; happiness would have his frame more relaxed and looser…

Nefarious had stared at the wall, his back turned to Qwark. No movement. No emotion. A blank stare and statuesque poise.

_A cocoon waiting for just the right moment to finally hatch…_

The last, and final, warning that always signaled the monster's arrival was the way the shadows in their apartment tensed for their master's arrival.

It controlled the shadows—much like a master to pets. The shadows leapt at the walls, crawling up the sides where the houselights didn't have the power to shine bright enough anymore, and ate away the fading gold. They didn't work as they usually did. It always started out as what looked like a trick of the eye _("Qwark, there's no way the shadows are creeping into the lamp's light. Listen to Clank. He's usually right about this sort of thing.")_ , then grew to the point where no light could pierce the thick veil of darkness the monster brought with it _("Qwark… why are the- but- Clank, you're seeing this right?" "Captain, it is not possible for shadow to react this way. What are you not telling us?")_.

_("Talk, Qwark! Why is Nefarious acting weird?!")_

_("Qwark, it is imperative that you share with us any information that may keep us alive. What is happening?!")_

_**He's changing.** _

The moment the choked groans of pain echo from Nefarious' mouth—moans that sound as if thousands of pounds worth of pressure is squeezing away every last breath from someone's lungs—is when the monster finally takes over and Qwark knows that the grace period is finished.

Nefarious turns around to face his partner, head swiveling on his neck faster than the rest of his body can move. Red optics blacken and fade around the edges of the optic, and then seeping pitch blackness consumes the entire eye like a flower blooming open. Blood, black and thick with mucus from a decomposing body, bubbles over the robot's bottom lip and spills down the metal mouth. It flows with the volume of the moans; with each heightening pitch of the strangled, begging sounds, the blood pours out of Nefarious' mouth.

It patters to the floor, and when that happens, Nefarious is truly gone.

Shadows swirl and leap at their master's feet, mixing with the pool of blood and mucus. Metal limbs crack and shatter with each slight movement. Fractures crawl up the green glass of Nefarious' head, and the dome fills with the same vile liquid that pours out of the robot's mouth and eyes.

Metal shrieks as the shadows and blood rise up to paint the lower half of the scientist's body, and robotic limbs stretch out once Nefarious' old legs are shattered and broken. Robotic hands, arms, claws, tentacles… all writhe and squirm against the floor, lubricated by the blood, reaching for long-desired freedom.

The claws Nefarious already has sharpen. Jagged. Bigger. Never smooth, like a blade. Always scarred and mishappen, almost as if someone had haphazardly welded several serrated knives together without care for how the finished product would turn out. They tear at the thin chest, clawing and desperate, slicing open the frame and letting the monster's natural form slither out.

And then, his face…

The monster's form caresses his holder's face, delicate and gentle. Shadows drag along the metal, only getting rougher when the spindly dark fingers touch the edges of Nefarious' mouth. They dive in, causing Nefarious' body to jolt, causing a desperate intake of air to reverberate from Nefarious that sounds like he's inhaling his last, final breath.

The monster slithers into place, and blinks its optics into consciousness.

Qwark's seen this happen before.

It's nothing new. Over the years he had been fighting Nefarious, ever since the day Nefarious had fallen into the churning mesh of machinery and somehow survived the fall, the horror had always hung over Nefarious like a cloak.

Surviving that fall wasn't natural.

It just wasn't possible…

…not unless something was traded over for another chance at life.

Blue eyes gaze at the creature, weighed down with exhaustion. Qwark's silent, much like his partner was before the monster came.

There had been times when he would scream and try to fight back. There had been times when he had tried to reason with the monster. There had been times where he tried every possible trick in the book, doing anything he could to try and stop the monster before it destroyed his sanity.

It had taken him a long time to understand that both he and Nefarious would never have their sanity again.

The monster stares back at Qwark, watching the superhero. It heaves—wet, raspy breaths that hang over the air between them. It hunches over, careful in its alternate form. Nothing would dare attack such a powerful horror, but the monster takes a moment to steady itself and lock Nefarious' conscious away at the very back of their shared mind.

At first, Qwark had had so many nightmares. He and Nefarious hadn't slept for days. They had fought the terror together, making empty promises and pleading with the possibility that everything might just turn out okay.

And then, when the hope died at the center of their hearts, acceptance filled the void.

Qwark shifts in his reclining armchair, swallowing as he nods to the monster not twenty feet from him. He has no fear anymore.

The monster looks around Qwark, empty eyes gazing down at the array of raw meats and sacrificial offerings littered all over the open living room's floor. The meat is still fresh—blood paints the bits of flesh and pools underneath. Rust, the smell of fresh blood, fills every molecule of air and chokes the atmosphere.

There is no light in the apartment. There won't be light in the entire apartment complex. If people are lucky enough, the blackout will only stretch around half the planet.

It takes a moment before the monster smiles.

Lips curl at the edges, and dozens of teeth (always too much and eroded at the gums) appear as the only splash of light in a void of darkness.

**~Hello, my love.~**

The monster isn't his love, but Qwark has learned that the best way to survive with the ethereal power is to go along with it.

"Hello, love. It is good to see you again…"

**Author's Note:**

> Song Inspo: "R'lyeh" by Sephiroth. A very spooky-sounding song to have as background noise if you ever need some atmospheric music for a horror piece. Just found it today and GHJK gunna see about using this to write more horror in the future…
> 
> This is a warm-up piece and something to see how well I can write horror after so long of not working with it, so yes, this is first-draft worst-draft. The ending's most likely very cut-off and could use some work, but I don't want to beat myself up too much over this experiment.
> 
> I promise I do have some fluff planned out for Valentine's Day sob. I will do what I can to balance this out with some gentle loving Qwarkarious fluff soon…
> 
> Until then, thank you for reading, and I'll see you all in another story! :D


End file.
